Innovation Productivity Center

Wednesday, 20 May 2009 19:04

SCAMPER Technique

SCAMPER also known as Osborn's list is a series of questions that can be used individually or in a group setting to help generate new ideas for various situations or concerns. SCAMPER can also be used given a fictional scenario to help stimulate new directions in the areas of product, process and capability innovation. Below is a simple outline of the technique to guide your efforts.

Use to create or redesign a:

Product
Process
Machine
Production Line
Capability
(Insert Your Concern Here)

Guide:

S	Substitute	What can we substitute?	How would we substitute it?	What would be the effect if we substituted
C	Combine	Can this be combined with something else?	How would we combine it?	What would be the effect if we combined it?
A	Adapt	What other concepts can we adapt?	How would we adapt?	What would change if we made the adaption?
M	Modify	What could be modified?	How would we make the modification?	What effects would the modification have?
P	Put to new use	What ways could we put this to new use?	How would we put this to new use?	What would be the outcome of the new use?
E	Eliminate	Can we eliminate or reduce it?	How would we go about eliminating it?	What would change if we eliminated it?
R	Reverse	What can be reversed? Can we reverse it?	How would we make the reversal?	What would happen if we reversed it?